


Dance with me

by LightsUpInTheNorth



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: I think it qualifies as tooth-rotting fluff, M/M, Pretty sure even, Prom, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:33:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24882361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightsUpInTheNorth/pseuds/LightsUpInTheNorth
Summary: Steve had barely lit the second cigarette of his smoke break when he was startled by the sound of approaching footsteps. He had chosen to go all the way around the building to be left alone and, obviously, it was a failure. But Steve had dealt with failure plenty of times before. One more time wouldn’t kill him.The fact that the intruder was no other than Billy Hargrove might do the trick, though. Steve sighed, bracing himself for Billy’s teasing (which would undoubtedly happen any minute).
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Comments: 8
Kudos: 126





	Dance with me

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for the prompts "Dance with me" and "That’s in the past" requested by Tumblr user @adecentsizedcabbage, who also has an (amazing) account on AO3 (if you see this, I wanted to gift the fic to you here, but AO3 refuses to cooperate right now, I'm sorry ^^); 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy :)

If he had imagined how prom would go at the beginning of Junior year, Steve would have seen himself as Prom King, dancing with whatever beautiful girl had been elected Queen before the admirative and envious eyes of their classmates.

But Steve never imagined what Prom would be like, then, because he never thought he had to imagine it. It would just happen, and it would go swimmingly, because he was the King of Hawkins High and that was how everything went in his life, at that point.

He had not foreseen that his entire kingdom would come crumbling down as it had. Gone were the ‘friends’ that acted as subjects, gone were the invitations to every party, gone were the popularity and the privileges it had brought.

Nancy was gone, too, though it had more to do with Jonathan being a way better fit for her, and less to do with Steve’s eviction from his throne. 

If anyone had predicted this to Steve the previous year, he would have laughed, not believing a word of it. And if he had believed it, because of some uncanny proof that the prediction would come true, he would have been terrified. He would have hidden it, of course, but the fear still would have been there, in his heart, making his chest tighten and his breath shorten.

Thankfully, it had come out of nowhere. If there had been signs, Steve had not noticed any of them. And he was grateful for that, for his cluelessness. Because, worrying about his fall from grace would have been worrying about nothing.

Because the fall had meant nothing, in the grand scheme of life. Sure, it had stung to see the ones he considered his friends abandoning him as soon as popularity had, changing his status from royalty to nobody. He had soon realized that he was better off without them, though. They weren’t real friends. They weren’t real, period. They only cared about appearances, and Steve strangely had no fuck to give about those anymore.

He ended up going stag to the prom, and he wasn’t even ashamed of it… of third wheeling Nancy and Jonathan, his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend. Despite the less than ideal circumstances, they turned out to be better friends to Steve than his followers ever were.

So, when he went outside after chatting for a while and drinking some punch, he didn’t do it out of humiliation or self-pity. He just left to get a break, maybe smoke a cig or two, and let Nancy and Jonathan have some time on their own. They were too nice to ask for it, but Steve knew they’d be glad to be free of him for a moment

And maybe, just maybe… a small part of Steve needed a break because he couldn’t take staring at Billy Hargrove from across the gym, which had been tackily decorated for the occasion as it was every year without fail.

Billy had come in with Tina on his arm. He had been wearing a dashing suit, complete with a bow tie and everything, but he had ditched the jacket barely ten minutes in, and the bow tie had closely followed. When Steve had last thrown a glance in his direction, Billy had been looking flushed, with his curls in disarray, his sleeves rolled up and half of the buttons of his shirt undone.

How was Steve supposed to endure such a sight? It was straight up cruel. So, he decided to go somewhere he couldn’t see Billy anymore. Somewhere he could ignore how weak he was for the other boy.

He had barely lit his second cigarette when he was startled by the sound of approaching footsteps. He had chosen to go all the way around the building to be left alone and, obviously, it was a failure. But Steve had dealt with failure plenty of times before. One more time wouldn’t kill him.

The fact that the intruder was no other than Billy Hargrove might do the trick, though. Steve really was the luckiest son of a bitch out there, these days... He sighed, bracing himself for Billy’s teasing (which would undoubtedly happen any minute).

“Hey Harrington, can I bum one?” He asked, pointing at the pack of cigarettes laid on the floor, next to where Steve was sitting with his back against the brick wall and his legs bent at the knees.

“Sure, help yourself.” Steve replied, tearing his gaze away from Billy as he brought his lighter to the cigarette hanging from his mouth.

After all, Steve had been adamant about not looking at him, and he ought to stick with that. For his own well-being.

Anyway, Billy had just come here for a smoke. Now that he had what he had been looking for, he would be on his merry way.

Steve thought he had Billy figured out, but he was proved wrong a second later, when Billy sat down next to him, holding his now lit cigarette in his left hand. He was so close that Steve could feel the heat of his body against his side and smell his strong cologne. It didn’t smell the same as it usually did. Maybe Billy had another one, one he reserved for special occasions. It was a strong scent, but Steve liked it. It had character. It suited Billy.

“Why are you out there all alone, Pretty boy?”

“I just wanted some fresh air.” Steve answered lamely, trying to focus on the smoke filling his lungs and not on Billy’s overwhelming presence.

“I’m not sure smoking and fresh air are compatible, princess.”

Steve shrugged. “Let’s say I came here for the peace and quiet, then.” He said, turning briefly toward Billy to give him a pointed look.

Let him believe Steve didn’t want him there more than he’d wanted anything in a long time.

Billy just blew his smoke in Steve’s face, like the asshole he was.

“You want peace and quiet… On prom night? Where has King Steve gone?”

Steve scoffed.

“You’ve got some nerves, asking me that. As if you didn’t know.”

Billy knew better than anyone where King Steve had gone. He’d been the one who had dethroned him the second (at least that was how it had felt like) he had set foot in town. The golden boy from California. He could drink more and quicker than Steve, he was better at basketball, he had more muscles, and he had a bad boy look that Steve and his polo shirts were no rivals for. Steve had not stood a chance against him. He was fine with it, though. He was not jealous. He knew what it was like, being King, and it wasn’t as nice as everyone made it out to be.

“Do you miss it, being King?” Billy asked, stubbing out his cigarette on the concrete ground.

“That’s in the past.” Was all Steve said to summarize the train of thought he had just had.

He had not pulled on his cigarette in a while, preferring to watch it burn, the tip of it glowing brightly in the darkness.

“Mmh… I guess it is. Though I bet half the chicks in that gym would sell their mother for a dance with you, King or no King.”

“They wouldn’t need to go that far. Just asking would do.” Steve replied, choosing not to dwell on the fact that Billy was complimenting him, in a way.

“And no one did?” Billy asked.

“No…” Steve sighed, not because he was disappointed he had not been asked to dance, but because he was bracing himself for the mocking Billy would surely unleash upon him.

“Well, it’s their loss.”

Steve turned toward Billy again, surprised. Shocked, even. He wanted to try and decipher Billy’s expression, but Billy was facing forward, the sky was pitch dark, and the deem light filtering though the high windows of the gym barely changed anything.

“What about you? What are you doing here with stupid old me when you should be dancing with your stunning date?”

Steve had paid more attention to Billy than he had to Tina when they had made their entrance, but he wasn’t blind. He had noticed how gorgeous she was in her bright red gown. How could he have not, when she was the one who had won Billy’s favor.

“I just wanted to chill.”

Steve refrained from pointing out that “chilling” was very similar to “peace and quiet”, which Billy apparently found unfitting for a King.

“Besides… Tina isn’t the one I want to dance with.”

“Why did you ask her to be your date, then?”

Steve frowned.

“I didn’t, she was the one who asked me actually.” Billy supplied.

Steve rolled his eyes. Details.

“Well, why did you say yes instead of declining so you could invite who you really wanted?”

“’Cause that person wasn’t an option, pretty boy.”

Billy was now fidgeting with a button of his shirt, which threatened to come undone. He’d end up half-naked if he weren’t careful. Not that Steve would warn him about that risk. He wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

“Bullshit. I’m sure anyone would have said yes.”

Steve wouldn’t usually have complimented Billy so freely, afraid that it would be too telling. But Billy had said something in the same vein to him a few minutes before, so Steve deemed it acceptable.

“Mh, I’m not so sure. It’s too late, anyway.”

“No it’s not! The night is far from over, you could still ask your crush for a dance. Tina will probably be mad at you, but she’ll find a replacement, I’m sure.”

Steve didn’t know why he was encouraging Billy to go after someone that wasn’t him. Maybe he simply wanted to see Billy happy, for a change.

And yeah, maybe he had only used the word “crush” in the hope that Billy would roll his eyes and deny having a one. But it didn’t work, anyway: Billy didn’t deny anything.

Something even better happened, though. Something so amazing that Steve was barely able to register it, at first.

Instead of getting all offended for being accused of harboring something as silly as a “crush”, Billy blurted out:

“Dance with me.”

Billy’s tone suggested an invitation to fight, more than an invitation to dance, so Steve thought he had misheard. It was the only plausible explanation, right? Billy Hargrove had not just invited Steve to dance, right?

“What?” He said dumbly, eyes as wide as saucers, mouth agape.

“You heard me.”

“Uh… was that a rehearsal for when you really ask the girl you want to dance with? Because, if so, you should try going about it a little less aggressively…”

“Don’t play dumb, Steve.”

Steve was not playing, was the thing.

“If you don’t want to, just say so. You don’t need to spare my fucking feelings, or whatever.”

Billy had spit out the word “feelings” like he would have an insult, which was funny considering the actual curse he had used had sounded softer in his mouth.

"I do!”

“Right, I’ll just go back inside...” Billy managed to sound both angry and defeated.

Steve’s brain nearly short-circuited from the confusion elicited by Billy’s reaction, but then he realized how what he had said might have come across.

“I mean, I do want to dance!” He nearly yelled, holding back a retreating Billy by grabbing one of his shirt lapels.

Billy froze mid-gesture and then got back to his initial position.

“Oh.”

He didn’t say anything else, and Steve wondered if he had broken him. He certainly hoped not.

He got up and extended his hand to Billy.

“May I have this dance, Your Majesty.” Steve asked.

Billy probably didn’t need the stroke to his ego, but Steve provided it wholeheartedly, nonetheless.

Billy didn’t answer verbally, but his hand taking Steve’s offered one was answer enough.

Steve pulled him up and put his hands on Billy’s waist. Shockingly, Billy didn’t fight it, placing his arms around Steve’s neck and letting Steve lead. 

The music from inside was reaching them, albeit faintly. Steve could also hear the entrance door slamming from time to time, as well as the loud voices and shrill laughter of the group of girls having a conversation on the other side of the building, but it barely registered to him.

Every ounce of his attention was on Billy and how he felt against him. He had a lot of questions to ask him, but they could wait. Soon, too soon, the song they were dancing to would end, and then prom would end too, a few hours later. After that night, they’d have all the time in the world to discuss what exactly had transpired. For now, Steve wanted to enjoy every second he got to hold Billy in his arms and be held in return.

When Steve heard the last note, he reluctantly let go of his dance partner, but Billy’s arms tightened around him, preventing him from separating their embrace.

"Aren’t you afraid you’re going to miss the prom King coronation?”

Billy would most probably win. It would surely make an impression (and not a good one), if he was nowhere to be found when his name was called and his presence required on stage.

“I don’t give a fuck, Steve. Now shut up and get back to it.”

“Fine by me.”

Steve put his hands back where they belonged and smiled, delighted that the brief moment he had tried so hard to make the best of just got extended for an undetermined amount of time.

The tempo of the following song was far too fast for slow dancing, but Steve couldn’t find it in himself to care. And, clearly, neither did Billy. 

Out there in the night, they had their own rhythm, their own music, their own world.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr at https://lightsupinthenorth.tumblr.com/ :)


End file.
